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MLB Interleague Play (Regular Season)

05-18-2016, 08:58 PM

I for one have had it. I don't care if I do or don't have the opportunity to see teams or players I typically wouldn't get the chance to face each other. I'm watching the Angels/Dodgers game tonight, & it made me realize how much I miss the way things used to be. By comparison, there are empty seats tonight for a regular season game. Before Interleague play ever started, when Anaheim Stadium used to be enclosed, spring training games between the Angels/Dodgers used to sell out, with over 64,000 in attendance. It was a novelty, & you would have the dream that both teams would make it to the World Series. Not that it wouldn't be exciting now, but it would be all the sweeter if they didn't meet during the regular season. Maybe part of it is that here in SoCal we have an American League team, & a National League team, so we can see any player in person, but you won't get the match ups, but I don't care. I'd rather see rare match ups in the World Series only. So, how do you all feel about it ? I'm gonna assume the younger crowd welcomes Interleague play. What about some of you older people ?

Comment

I'm a huge baseball fan and i don't care for interleague play at all. i think one of the things that made baseball unique was the seperation of the two leagues, with separate rules and all. The only time you ever got to see an American League guy and a National League on the field at the same time was during the All Star Game, which added to it's specialness and set it above any other sports, and the World Series. Interleague play has taken away from that.

Baseball will throw out some stats about increased attendance, but they are misleading. The majority of interleague games take place in the summer when attendance is already up, and weekends, so of course on average they have higher attendance. Aside from the Yankees or Red Sox coming to town or a cross town rival, no interleague series does anything as far as drawing more fans, and studies have shown that league games would do better. once again aside from the Yankees or Red Sox (or maybe Angels), the Padres for example would have better attendance against the Dodgers or Giants than any American League team. So what is their benefit? The Yankees and Red Sox showing up once every 5 years or so for 3 games each, or the 18-21 games they lose against the Giants, Dodgers, Cubs, Mets, DBacks, Cardinals, etc. that draw better than any AL team.

Another issue with interleague is the unfairness. Most teams have a "rival" so some teams like the Angels have the high spending teams like the Dodgers that they have to play every year. While the Mariners may not play the Dodgers at all and their rival is the Padres. Not really an even schedule most years. Same goes for the Mets getting the Yankees while the Nationals get the Orioles etc.

it's not going anywhere though, I think we'd be more likely to see realignment than interleague going away.